The decision on the number of furlough days for civilian Department
of Defense workers is several weeks away, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said
this morning, declining to confirm reports the amount of unpaid leave will drop
to 7 days but leaving the door open to changes for the Pentagon's 800,000
workers.

In testimony before the Senate House Armed Services
Committee Wednesday, Hagel said the Pentagon is still reviewing the possibilities to
change the number of furlough days.

"Our initial take was maybe as much as 21 days would be
required. We now have that down to 14 and we're still reviewing what actions we
may have to take," Hagel said.

Reports surfaced last week that the Pentagon was going to
reduce the number of furlough days to 7 with notifications going out in June.
However, Hagel said the Pentagon is "still a couple of weeks away from
determining what furlough will be."

"Congress will be fully informed on any decisions that are
made," Hagel said.

If decisions are not made until mid-May at the earliest,
furlough letters would go out later that month giving workers 30 days' notice,
meaning furloughs would not start until July. If the amount of unpaid leave is
eventually reduced to 7, it would only give three months for workers to take the
furlough days.

During the same hearing, Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale
said the Pentagon is still operating as if 14 days of furlough will be
necessary. However, as he often has during recent talks about furloughs, Hale
left the door open to major changes.

"I'd like to reserve all the secretary's options," he told
the committee.